Plastic Pollution is Killing Donkeys in Kenya

Lamu Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, stands as a testament to Swahili culture, with its narrow, winding streets and reliance on donkeys for transport. This 700-year-old town, one of East Africa’s oldest, is renowned for its traditional lifestyle where nearly 3,000 donkeys play a crucial role. However, these animals are now facing a severe crisis due to plastic Pollution.

The picturesque town, with its lack of cars, has increasingly become a hazardous environment for its donkeys. The animals, which have little natural grazing land, are foraging through piles of plastic waste—bottles, nappies, and other refuse. This exposure has led to a troubling increase in deaths among the donkeys. Recently, a weak and dehydrated baby donkey was rushed to the Donkey Sanctuary, where vets discovered 30 centimeters of tangled plastic in its digestive tract.

Dr. Obadiah Sing’Oei, the lead vet at the sanctuary, notes that the ingestion of plastic is causing severe health issues for these animals, including nutritional colic—a condition often fatal. The effects of plastic Pollution on terrestrial animals, though less documented than on marine life, are proving to be equally detrimental. Research by the University of Portsmouth and the Donkey Sanctuary is underway to assess the impact, with preliminary findings indicating that at least three donkeys die each month from colic linked to plastic ingestion.

Local donkey owners, like Hufeidha Abdul Majid, are deeply concerned. Majid, who inherited his donkeys from his grandfather, describes the loss of these animals as akin to losing family members. He has taken precautions to prevent his donkeys from roaming freely, as the risk of them consuming harmful waste has become a significant concern.

This issue of plastic pollution is not confined to Lamu alone. Globally, similar problems are emerging, with plastic waste found in the stomachs of various animals, from small mammals in the UK to elephants in India. The health impacts extend beyond the animals themselves, potentially affecting humans who consume their meat or milk contaminated with microplastics.

Efforts to mitigate the situation in Lamu include private rubbish collection initiatives and recycling projects by organizations like FlipFlopi. However, inconsistent waste management and the overflowing of dumpsters continue to exacerbate the problem. As Dr. Sing’Oei observes, the frequency of colic cases fluctuates with the state of waste management, highlighting the urgent need for more effective solutions.

Please sign this petition to help eliminate microplastics from our water supply!

Related Content:

• Urgent Measures Proposed as Microplastic Pollution Threatens Global Health
• Plastic Pollution in Seabird Stomach Could Release Harmful Toxins, Study Finds
• Recent Report Exposes Companies Trying to Stop Addressing Plastic Pollution
• Easter Island Confronts Ongoing Plastic Pollution Crisis

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
• Adopt-a-Pet: Visit WildWatchers, a watchdog platform specifically designed for animal, earth, and wildlife warriors to actively give back, rescue, and protect animals and the planet.
• Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Take initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands like Tiny Rescue that raise awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade over and over again.
• Support Independent Media: Being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
• Sign a Petition: Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list of must-sign petitions to help people, animals, and the planet.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and important stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!